Flash lamp



FLASH LAMP Filed out. 5. 1929 0 .6 6 j i@ n. wv WMM. ,m n, am

Patented July 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE A. DRUCKER, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIcNoR To kBURKE a JAMES, INC., or I CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OE. ILLINOIS.

FLASH LAM?4 Application led October 3, 1929. Serial No. 396,963.

. A This 4invention relates to improvements in flash-.lamps particularly adapted though not y necessarily limited in its use for photographic work and of the type in which a. powder or i charge is held in apan orholder and then ignited to produce a Hash. 4

,Heretofore such flashes have been occasioned by means of a spark produced by fric- A tion such as the engagement of a piece of iiint or similar substance with a roughened or serrated surface, and at other times the ignition has been occasioned by means of a cartridge such as is known as a rim fire cartridge, by exploding the same into the charge. Oftentimes in either instance the flash fails, owing ton the fact that the igniting device does not function or operate properly.

It is one of theobjects of the present ving "vention to overcome these difliculties and obojections and to provide an improved flash "lamp of this character in which separate and entirely different means are provided for ligniting the charge, and improved means whereby a spark will be produced from each W of the igniting means, through the medium of the same operating means, and Vone in advance of the` other, therebyinsuring that upon the failure of one of the igniting means` to produce theY necessary spark the other one v To the attainment of these ends and the j .accomplishment of other new and useful ob jects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement Of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention, and in which Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a device of i this characterconstructed in accordance with 1 the principles of this invention and showing the position of the parts after a spark has ,45 been produced by the igniting means.

` ure 1, with parts omitted, showing the spark producing means yset for operation. Y

Figure 3 1s a view taken on lineVS-S, Figtion than shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a view taken on line 2-2, Figl.

ure 1, and Withtheparts in ,2L different posi,

Figure 4 is a view taken on line 2 2, Figure 1, showing the parts in a tripped or ring position. i

kReferring more particularly to the drawings the numeral 10` designates generallyV a pan or tray of the ordinary and usual type and construction, in which a charge such as powder 11 or the like is placed to produce the ash.

This tray is provided with a socket 12 depending below the bottom thereof into which is inserted a plug 13 that is adapted to telescope with one end of a handle 14, the two being connected together by means of a pin and slot 15-16 whereby the tray will be held against rotative movement with respect to the handle. The handle may be of any desired length and is provided with a grip porvided and each is adustably held in position by means ofl an adjusting screw 20 with a spring'21 interposed between the screwv and Vthe element 19.

Rotatably mounted adjacent the opening 18 and above the elements 19 is an elongated roller 22 provided with a roughened or serrated periphery23 andV` this roller 23 is of a length to extend over all of the elements 19 so that a plurality ofsparks will be produced when the yroller 22 is rotated over the elements 19. I

The shaft 245of` the roller 22 is rotatably mountedin bearings 25 and secured to the shaft for `rotation therewith isa trigger or i hammer 26 which is preferably bent as shown so as to extend beneath the bottom of the pan or tray l0. A portion `of the edge of the element 2 6 '1s reducedas at 27 tev form a sharp edge, for a purposeto be set iQrth,

an opening 29 for the reception4 of a-cartr-id-ge 30, preferably. kof the rim fire type, and the` head'Sl 'of Vthe 'cartridge rests against a .bearing 32 projecting below the bottom of the tray.

The size of the opening 29 is such thatthef:`

cartridge 30 will be frictionally held therein but may be removed bypressure from thefineV side of the tray.

Pivotally mounted'fupon Ithe backlof the tray isa` lever '33ffand`operating-upon the lever is a spring 34 and this spring- 34 tends normally to move' the' 'lever 33' inL` a direction so thatwhen thetrigger e'26 is ymovedfi'om the position shdwn'irrF-igure lto'the position shown in' liligure-Qj, afp-rejection orshoulder 35"on'-the trigger 'willfpa'ssbehind the lever 33, the latter yielding i'or that purpose. After the projection or shoulder35' has assumed the position shown i'n` Figure 2,3' the spring 34will mov'e the' lever 33 ina` direction to lock the trigger '26 in its lseti position'. A stop v-36 may be provided lfor limiting themovement of the lever 33 in one direction.

When the trigger '261is 'moved to the position'shown in Figure 2f energy will bev stored in the-spring 28so lthat when'v the lever33 is shifted to release the trigger the energy-thus sto'red inthe spring 28 will' cause the trigger to move quickly into'a' positionito-cau'se the edge 27 thereof'to'strike and explode the cartridge 30. Atthe same timeiand as the roller 22 isconnected with the trigger 26 for movement therewith the serrated or roughened face of the roller willV pass overA the elementsil9`, causing sparks tobe created which will enter the pan or tray 10 to explode the charge. 1 Y Y y Thus itl will be seen that when the trigger 26" istripp'ed' the'rei will be two separate and :distinct means for producing' sparks and one will a'ctuate in' advance of the' other', thereby insuring an absolute ignition" oflthe Hash charge in' the' pan.

Any suitable means actuatingthe lever 33". A simple and ethcient means embodies a' flexible casing 37 in which operates a'. flexible vrod 38. Oneend of the casing 37 is connected with a projection 39 on the' panor its support and the other end is secured as at 40 to the handle l2,` preferably adjacent the'grip' 1? thereof. v

Connected with the-iexible member'38 is a knob or button'etl and the' other end olfv the rod .or lelement 38 isladapted to be projected beyondI the end'ot the flexiblelcasing 37 to shift the lever 33 from the position shown ligurel, so that it will release the trigger may be provi-ded for` 26 by moving out of engagement with the shoulder or projection 35.

The spring 34 also operates to hold the end of the lever 33 against the end of the flexible member 38 and to also project the handle or button 4l beyond the end of the casing 37 so that it 'will bein. a position tobe depressed by theoperat'or. Y

lVhile the preferred form of the invention hasbeen herein shown. and` described, it .is -to be understood thatvarious changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing. fromrthe spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is l; Aiiash lampr embodying-a 4charge holdingcontainer,-v supporting meansf therefor, separate sparkproduciirg'means 'ferigniting said] charge, one of said spark producing -meansy operating Ito ignite the charge -orthel failure of the otherspark producing vmeans vto so do, and 4means common to the last said means for controlling them;

2. Af flash lamp embodying acharge holding container, supporting means therefor,Y` separate spa-'rk producing-means forigniting said'charge, and means'common to-the-last said means for-producing@ sparkfrom one of-saidspark the other.

3. AV flashlamp embodying a charge holding container,' supporting means therefor, separatespark producingmeansfor ign-iting saidf charge, and means 'common tothe; last producinguneans in advanceoi n said means for producinga sparklfrom each l one in advance -of thev other 'and uponl each operation; of the sparkproducing means;

' 41'. A flash lamp embodying alchargeholder supportingl means therefor, affricti'onm spar-lt 'produeing-meanm an explosive spark producing means, and-'means connnon to both of said spark-producing means for-'rendering them active;

5. A flashlampembodyinga charge-hold;

er, supporting means therefor, a .frictionYV` spark producing means,` an explosive spark produ `iing means, means common to "both Vof said spark producing means for rendering them active,

each operation oft-helast said means.y n

6. A flashjlamp embodying a chargeholfder, ahandlelconnected therewith, spark producing means" embodying two relatively Inovable elements contacting with each other, am

one in y: tdvance of the other ons.,l

explosive spark producing means, an element connectedV with the movable oneof the lfirst said elements for exploding 'the last' said means, means tending normal-Aly to move said element to explode Vthe vsecond vsaid Invea'ns,i ymeans for locking'the said element aga-mst movement by the thirdfrecited means, and means for rendering 'the'said ylockmg4 means Yinactive at will;v

7; A flash lamp einbodyingaucharge `container, a handle connected therewith, a flint element, a spark wheel (3o-operating therewith, means for holding a cartridge to discharge intof said charge, a trigger connected with said wheel and operating to explode the cartridge, a spring adapted to be placed under tension when said trigger is set, means for locking the trigger in a set position, and

means for releasing the trigger whereby said spring will rotate said wheel and drive said trigger to explode the cartridge.

8. A flash lamp embodying a charge container, a handle connected therewith, a flint element, a spark wheel co-operating therewith, means for holding a cartridge to discharge into said charge, a trigger connected with said wheel and operating to explode the cartridge, a spring adapted to be placed under tension when said trigger is set, a lever for locking said trigger in a set position, and means for actuating said lever from a remote point to release the trigger whereby said spring will rotate said spark wheel and drive said trigger to explode the cartridge.

9. A flash lamp embodying a charge holder, a handle connected therewith, a plurality of separate flint elements, a spark wheel common to the elements for producing sparks therefrom, means for holding a cartridge, a trigger operatively connected with said spark wheel, a spring adapted to be placed under tension when the trigger is set, and means for releasing said trigger whereby the said spring will rotate said wheel and drive the trigger to explode the cartridge.

10. A flash lamp embodying a charge holder, a handle connected therewith, a plurality of separate flint elements, a spark wheel common to the elements for producing sparks therefrom, means for holding a cartridge, a trigger operatively connected with said spark wheel, a spring adapted to be placed under tension when the trigger is set, and means for releasing said trigger whereby the said spring will rotate said wheel and drive the trigger to explode the cartridge, upon each.-

release of the trigger and one in advance of the other.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, on this 27th day of September, A. D. 1929.

i GEORGE A. DRUCKER. 

